16. Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sixteen
Natalya
I know I can’t stay here, locked in my childhood room, while Mikhail suffers. He’s not dead. Not yet. I would feel it. That’s how much Mikhail and I are entwined. I would feel his death.
I have to get out and talk to his men. Tell them about it. None of them know what happened. The only person who was around when the explosion happened was Mikhail’s driver and he’s dead now.
Pressing my ear to my door, I listen for anything that could help but I can’t hear Denis.
Can’t hear him plotting. My own uncle has done this to me.
I did shoot him, so I guess this is pay back.
My father never wanted to bring his business home with us and that included Denis and I know why: Denis is a jealous, petty man who wanted what my father had, which unfortunately, is me and my sisters.
My mom is around here somewhere but I’m assuming she’s locked up like the rest of us.
“Irina,” I say through the wall.
“Yes?”
“Where is Mom? Is she locked up?”
“Sometimes. I think. But not always. I think Uncle Denis likes spending time with her.”
A shiver falls down my spine. What does Denis like to do with our mom? If he wants my father’s life then… I push the thought away. I can’t dwell on it. I don’t even know if Denis has tried something with her.
“Is there anyway she can get us out of our rooms?”
“Well… Denis always has us come down for dinner. We eat as a family. That’s what he says, even though Mom keeps reminding him that we’re not a family.”
“So, there’s a moment where you’re not locked away.”
“Yes. We can also ask to use the bathroom.”
“Thank you.” I hurry to my door and start banging on it. I don’t stop until it’s eventually ripped open and one of Denis’s guards glares down at me.
“What?”
“I need to use the bathroom.”
“Tough luck.” He slams the door back in my face and locks it. I only start pounding on the door again. He opens it back up. “I said no. You just got here. You can wait.”
“But I really have to go. Please. Just let me go.”
“No. You can wait. And stop pounding on the door.” He shuts the door again and I continue to hit it, but this time, he ignores me.
Eventually, my hands get tired from smacking the door so I stop and slump onto my bed. They’re not going to let me out. I have no trust with Denis. He knows I want to run and I will find a way the moment I get a chance.
Hours pass.
Every second that goes by tells me Mikhail is one second closer to death if I don’t get out of here.
My door is finally reopened and Denis stands there, smirking. “I heard you had to use the bathroom. Well, you can go now. We’re going to have a family dinner and you will join.”
Slowly, I walk past him but before I can try to run, the guard grabs my arm and guides me into the bathroom and shuts the door.
I know he’s waiting right outside so I do actually use the bathroom in case I don’t get a moment later.
Then I open the medicine cabinet and search for anything that could be used as a weapon but there’s nothing.
No razors. No scissors. Not even tweezers.
There is a small comb though. Maybe I can use that somehow. I slip it into my bra. The shape of it is a little visible and I just have to hope that Denis is blind enough not to see it.
With a deep breath, I knock on the door and the guard lets me out. Denis leads me down the hallway without looking at me. The guard has his eyes forward. Neither of them comment on the weird shape of the front of my dress.
When we enter the dining room, I almost lose myself. My mom is at one end of it, looking miserable. The sight of her makes tears well up in my eyes and I can’t hold them back.
She looks up at me and her eyes widen. “Natalya?” She rushes to my side and gives me the best hug I’ve ever had in my life. Tatiana Petrov was never one for giving a ton of hugs when I was growing up so to receive one now means the world to me.
“Mom,” I sob, hugging her back with everything I have.
“Enough,” Denis says, wrenching my arm away. “Sit down.” Slowly, we do as he says.
“Don’t touch my daughter.”
Denis scoffs as he stares my mom down. “She’s my daughter now and I can do what I want with her.”
“She’s a married woman. She belongs to her husband. When Mikhail finds out that you’ve taken her, you’re dead.”
“That’s funny you should say that. Because Natalya came to me. She needed help saving her precious husband. So… no. I don’t think Mikhail will be coming anytime soon to save her. And I don’t think I’ll be dead. I apologize if that bothers you, Tatiana.”
“It does bother me. You’re not my husband and you never will be.”
Denis places his hand on her shoulder and squeezes tight. My mom doesn’t even react. She knows how to make herself like stone.
I see his grip tighten and tighten and still Mom doesn’t react. Finally, Denis lets her go with a huff and turns to his guard. “Get the others.”
When Denis has his back turned and the guard is leaving the room, I grab the comb from my bra and shove it into my lap. Mom notices and gives me a small smile.
Her hand finds mine under the table, giving me a squeeze. She nods. She wants me to do something.
Sasha, Irina, and Ana come into the dining room after a moment. Sasha and Ana both stumble to a halt when they see me.
“Natalya,” Ana exclaims, rushing to me. But before she can give me a hug, Denis steps into her path.
“Sit down,” he orders. Ana stares back at him with defiant eyes. “Do you need me to give you another reminder?” He raises his hand and she flinches. It’s enough to make her sit down. Irina takes the spot beside me while Sasha slowly sits down across from me, eying me with worry.
I know why. If I’m here, then I can’t save her from her impending marriage. I try to give her a smile but I can’t and she knows it. She ducks her face, her expression morphing into anger. Anger at the situation she’s in? Or anger at me for not being able to save her?
Denis claps his hands, drawing everyone’s attention to him. He stands at the front of the dining table, right behind Dad’s seat. Of course. “It’s nice to finally have a family meal for once.”
“We’ve had a lot of family meals together,” Mom snaps. “With my husband, Lev.”
Denis scowls. “Well, Natalya is here. She’s returned home. She’ll be staying with us for a while.”
“Why?” Sasha asks. “What happened?”
“Natalya, care to explain?” Denis wants to shame me but I won’t let him.
“I wanted to come home. I missed it.”
Denis grips the back of his chair. “That’s not why you’re here. Tell her. Tell your sisters.”
“I’m good.”
“Tell them!” he shouts, slamming his hand onto the table.
“I said I’m good.”
He stalks around the table towards me and grabs the back of my hair, pulling my head back, exposing my neck.
“Don’t hurt her,” Mom warns.
“Or you’ll do… what, Tatiana? What can you do?” Denis slides his fingers along my throat. “I could easily kill you right now. I have your sisters. I don’t need you.”
“You could. But then we wouldn’t be the family you want,” I grit out.
He smirks down at me before he lets my hair go. I rub my scalp.
“Natalya has a point,” he comments, heading back to his seat. “I want us to be one happy family.”
“How can we be happy when you keep us locked up?” Sasha asks. “When you force us into marriages?”
“Have I forced you, Sasha? I don’t see you married right now.”
“You’re going to force me into one soon. You told me so yourself.”
He holds up a finger. “But you’re not married yet. So stop complaining. You girls should be grateful for the marriage matches I make you. You’ll be the most prominent Bratva women in the entire city, if not the entire world.”
“That’s not what we want,” Sasha grumbles.
“I don’t care. Now, let’s eat.”
It’s then that I notice there’s no silverware on the table. Our housekeeper brings in the food. Bowls of soup. No spoons. Nothing that can be used as a weapon against Denis.
My eyes land on the guard in the corner. His gun is clearly visible. Denis doesn’t have a gun on him. He’s not wearing a jacket and I didn’t see one in his pants. The only place where he could be hiding a gun is strapped to his ankle.
But I’m not worried about Denis shooting me.
If he does have a gun strapped to his ankle, it will take longer to get to than the guard’s gun, which is clearly visible in his hands.
I need to distract the guard and make a run for it.
I grip the comb tighter in my hands. It’s prickly enough that I can use it to hurt him. I just have to wait for the right time.
I watch my sisters pick up their bowls and sip from them. “Have you been eating nothing but soup?”
“Soup is healthy,” Denis snaps. “Now eat yours.”
I grab mine and take a sip, meeting Sasha’s eyes over the rim of the bowl. She looks away from me, hurt. I’ve disappointed my sister again but I’m going to make it up to her. I have to.
“Do you have a name?” I ask.
Denis stares at me for a long moment. “A name?”
“Of the man you’re marrying Sasha to. Who is it?”
“Now, why would I tell you that?”
“I’m not a threat. I can’t warn my husband. He’s been kidnapped. He’s being tortured. He might even be dead. So you can tell me the name of the man you plan on marrying Sasha to.”
Denis smirks, shaking his head. “Natalya, Natalya, Natalya… You don’t get to come in here and make demands. Not after the shit you’ve pulled.” He nods at his shoulder. “I’m still wounded because of you.”
Good . “I hate you, you know.”
“Like I haven’t heard that one before.”
“We all hate you, you know. You think you can replace our father, but you can’t. You’re just a miserable, pathetic excuse for our father. And you always will be.”
“Keep talking like that and I’ll have Henry there teach you a lesson.”
My eyes flick to the guard. I need it to be Henry for my plan to work. My hands tighten around the comb.
Denis smiles, leaning back in his seat, satisfied.
But I’m not done yet.
“You’re not as handsome as our father was.”